NATIONAL RELEASES
Pineapple Express (Sony): After doing impressive late summer business at the US box office, this comedy about two pot-smoking slackers (Seth Rogen and James Franco) who go on the run, Sony should be confident of similar success over here. Directed by David Gordon Green (a big change of pace for him after films like George Washington and All The Real Girls), co-written by Rogen and produced by Judd Apatow it is an amusing caper. It isn’t quite as laugh out loud funny as previous Apatow productions like Superbad and Knocked Up, but there is enough action and gags to create good word of mouth and a decent chance of the Number 1 slot this weekend. [Cert 15]
* Listen to our interview with Seth Rogen and James Franco about Pineapple Express *
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (Disney): This brave and moving adaptation of John Boyne’s best selling novel about the friendship between two boys during the Holocaust is a really difficult sell for Disney. Although readers of the book will be keen to see it, the dark subject matter and the centrality of children to the story might put audiences off. But it is a film sure to provoke discussion as the direction by Mark Herman (who also made Brassed Off and Little Voice) is both thoughtful and sensitive, plus there are fine performances from David Thewlis and Vera Farmiga. Special praise should also go to Asa Butterfield and Jack Scanlon, the two young actors in the lead roles. [Cert 12A]
* Listen to our interview with Mark Herman and John Boyne about The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas *
Eden Lake (Optimum): A British horror movie about a young couple (Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender) on a romantic break at a remote lake who are terrorised by a gang of violent youths. Given the spate of gory horrors in recent years, the genre may be reaching the burnt out point sometime soon (Saw V is out next month) but there still seems to be an appetite for fare like this. Directed by James Watkins, who co-wrote My Little Eye, it’s real success may lie on DVD and ancillary markets rather than the initial cinema run. [Cert 18]
The Women (Entertainment): A remake the 1939 George Cukor film (which was based on the 1936 play by Clare Boothe Luce) about a New York clothing designer (Meg Ryan) who leaves her cheating husband and bonds with other society women at a resort. Co-starring Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing and Jada Pinkett Smith, Entertainment will be hoping for the Sex and the City crowd to dutifully turn up for more consumerist chick-flick action. Although the marketing of this film has felt a little muted, it should still do respectable box office numbers. [Cert 12]
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IN SELECTED RELEASE
Ashes Of Time Redux (Artificial Eye): A re-release of the 1994 film directed by Wong Kar-wai, based loosely on four characters from the Louis Cha novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. [Cert 15 / Showing at Curzon Soho, Renoir Cinema & selected Key Cities]
Eraserhead (Scanbox Entertainment): Director David Lynch‘s startling 1977 surrealist–horror film starring Jack Nance and Charlotte Stewart gets a re-release at the ICA in London. [Cert 18 /Showing at the ICA Cinema in London]
Heavy Metal In Baghdad (Slingshot Studios): Filmed in the summer of 2006, this documentary by Eddy Moretti and Suroosh Alvi tells the story of Acrassicauda – the only heavy metal band in Iraq and explores thelives of the band members have been affected by years of continual warfare. [Cert 15 / Showing at the ICA Cinema & Key Cities]
Jar City (The Works): A police-procedural thriller from Iceland directed by Baltasar Kormákur, about a detective (Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson) investigating the brutal murder of a sinister loner. [Cert 15 / Showing at Curzon Soho, Odeon Covent Gdn, Ritzy & Key Cities]
Partition (Soda Pictures): Vic Sarin directs this tale of forbidden love set in 1947 against the backdrop of the partition of India. Stars starring Jimi Mistry, Neve Campbell and Kristin Kreuk [Showing in Key Cities]
The Romance Of Astrea And Celadon (Artificial Eye): Veteran director Eric Rohmer‘s adaptation of the 1607 pastoral fantasy by Honoré d’Urfe about a lovelorn shepherd in fifth-century Gaul. [Cert 12A /Showing at BFI Southbank & selected Key Cities]
Sydney White (Universal): Amanda Bynes, Sara Paxton, and Matt Long star in this modern day update of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. [Showing at Vues Cheshire Oaks, Edinburgh, Plymouth, Portsmouth & Romford]
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If you have any questions about this week’s cinema releases or any upcoming titles then just email me or leave a comment below.
> Get local showtimes via Google Movies (just enter your local postcode)
> Find out about films showing near you at MyFilms
> Check out the DVD releases for this week (W/C Monday 8th September)
